Social Media Bullying Of High School Students By Pro Gun Adults Appalling & Shameful

High school kids from Parkland, FL and other areas of the country have had to endure the plague of gun violence that beyond “thoughts and prayers” remains wholly unaddressed by their elected officials that remain hog tied by the gun lobby. Inspired to action by the tragic mass shooting event in Parkland (as well as subsequent inaction by their government), students who watched as their classmates were murdered and thought that they may have been next, have galvanized a resistance movement of peaceful protest and marches to effect change. Peaceful protest is one of the most sacred tenants of our democracy, a time honored and respected right, and a tool that has historically been pivotal in leading to much needed change that includes women’s right to vote, civil rights, and marriage equality.

Yet as students react to tragedy with peaceful protest, they have drawn the vitriol of an appalling ilk of the right wing pro gun community that is resorting to bullying and mercilessly attacking activist students on social media. Kids who have just experienced unspeakable tragedy and are moved to action in the wake of it are being attacked and ridiculed by hateful, right wing adults, resorting to accusations of student activists being communists and traitors to America, poking fun at their [speculated] sexual orientation, posting Photoshopped images of them, etc…the list goes on.

Young people that become peacefully engaged in the political process should be celebrated, not bullied or demonized because people may disagree with them. That far right adults would attack high school kids in the this manner speaks volumes about their moral compass as they continue to show their true colors through their hateful political discourse. The altered picture below of activist David Hogg comparing him to Adolph Hitler posted on social media by a middle aged man says all one needs to know about this ugly underbelly of the right wing base.